438 mellow recipes

Blueberry crunch cake bakes a buttermilk cornmeal cake under a crown of fresh blueberries with a cinnamon-sugar crackle on top. Lighter than coffee cake, sweeter than cornbread. The Southern morning cake that disappears fast.

A no-bean Southern chili built on three cuts of beef, beer, and an avalanche of spices including cardamom, saffron, ginger, and a whole cinnamon stick. Bold, complex, simmered for hours.

Southwest quiche loaded with artichoke hearts, green chilies, creamed corn, and cheddar. Vegetable-forward brunch centerpiece with Southwestern flair.

Chile corn bake with cornmeal, cheddar cheese, green chiles, and sweet red peppers in a custardy casserole. A Southwestern side dish that's somewhere between cornbread and a savory corn pudding.

Double corn pancakes blend buttermilk-soaked cornmeal with whole corn kernels, red bell pepper, and scallions, with whipped egg whites folded in for lift. Savory breakfast.

Southern black-eyed peas simmered low and slow with smoky ham, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and a bay leaf. A one-pot comfort dish with just the right kick of crushed red pepper.

Pineapple upside-down cake with a cornmeal batter, fresh pineapple caramelized in Madeira wine and brown sugar, baked in a cast iron skillet. Extra-rich with whole eggs plus extra yolks and a hint of nutmeg.

4 Bean salad dressed with honey and cider vinegar.

Crispy, golden Puerto Rican corn sticks stuffed with melted cheese. Just cornmeal, grated Edam or Gouda, and a hint of cayenne, fried until crackly outside and gooey within. A beloved Caribbean street snack ready in 40 minutes.

Velvety curried cream of chicken soup made from scratch with a whole chicken, rice, carrots, and sweet peas blended into a silky, spice-kissed broth finished with half-and-half. Pure comfort in a bowl.

Salmon scallops pounded paper-thin, flash-cooked in seconds, and served over wilted garlicky spinach with a bright lemon-parsley pan sauce. French bistro technique for sky-high quality dinner.

Rich onion soup with six types of alliums: yellow onions, red onions, white onions, shallots, leeks, and scallions. Bacon-enriched, partially pureed, finished with cream.

Lemon icebox cookies with cornmeal and cardamom, sliced from a chilled log and baked golden, finished with tart lemon icing and chopped pistachios. Makes 6 dozen.

A traditional German stuffed pork belly filled with breadcrumbs, smoked ham, ground meat, and marjoram. Scored, seasoned, and roasted until the rind turns shattering crisp. Served with roasted turnip.

Pita bread calzone stuffed with ham, Jarlsberg cheese, sauteed peppers, and mushrooms. A quick, single-serving lunch baked in foil until golden.

Vegetable ragout with carrots, new potatoes, zucchini, peas, dried morels, and fresh mushrooms simmered in vegetable stock. Finished with a full cup of fresh parsley and mint.